Abstract
Fatal and nonfatal exposure to heat and cold (thermal injury) is seen in the form of accidental injury as burns and scalds, as well as in the case of deliberate exposure with homicidal intent or for the purposes of concealing a homicide, e.g., homicidal arson vs. arson to conceal homicide. Approximately 10–20 % of all abused children demonstrate heat-induced thermal injuries (see Chap. 18). Cold injuries, on the other hand, are rarely the result of a criminal act. In forensic medical practice, hypothermic fatalities raise the question of how the deceased came to be in a situation in which fatal hypothermia could occur. Most forms of thermal injury produce clearly differentiated findings.
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Dettmeyer, R.B., Verhoff, M.A., Schütz, H.F. (2014). Thermal Injury. In: Forensic Medicine. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-38818-7_12
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-38818-7_12
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